Как сельдь в бочке (Kak sel'd' v bochke)

Meaning: Packed together very tightly.

Language: Russian

Literally: Like herrings in a barrel

Category: Animals

Origin: Salted herring crammed into wooden barrels pictures a crowd squeezed shoulder to shoulder.

More idioms — Animals

• Вешать всех собак (Veshat' vsekh sobak) — To blame someone for everything.
• 井底之蛙 (Jǐng dǐ zhī wā) — Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
• 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) — Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
• 塞翁失马 (Sài Wēng shī mǎ) — A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.
• 狐假虎威 (Hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) — To bully others using borrowed power.
• De kat uit de boom kijken — To wait cautiously before committing.

More Russian idioms

• Делать ноги (Delat' nogi) — To run away quickly.
• Заговаривать зубы (Zagovarivat' zuby) — To distract someone with smooth, evasive talk.
• Седьмая вода на киселе (Sed'maya voda na kisele) — A very distant relative.
• Положить зубы на полку (Polozhit' zuby na polku) — To go hungry; to tighten your belt.
• Считать ворон (Schitat' voron) — To idle and let chances slip by.
• Гол как сокол (Gol kak sokol) — Dirt poor; without a thing to your name.

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